you know I can't blog straight no more

Starting Sunday with an announcement: For the next few weeks, posting on this blog and other social media will be significantly less than usual, mostly likely just a Sunday catchup post every week. A secret project is involved, but I can't say more than that for the time being, and there is a deadline that needs to be met. When I can say more, I will, and I think it'll be worth the wait. More after the cut, including paperback news!

The Crown Of Kylthena: Sunday Update

We're taking another break from our usual Sunday catchup format (though a few things may slip in) to keep you posted on doings with The Crown Of Kylthena, the new Monkey Queen book! If you missed the news from earlier this week, Michiko and Beth's new adventure is out now! The post with buying links has been updated with links for Kobo, Barnes and Noble, Indigo / Chapters, Fnac and Angus and Robertson; click here, or search your favorite ebook retailer for "Robert Dahlen"! More after the cut!

The Crown Of Kylthena: Out At Last!

Yes! The wait is over! The sixth Monkey Queen book, The Crown Of Kylthena, is out at last! Get Michiko and Beth's newest adventure at Amazon, or find other buying links and more after the cut!

The Crown Of Kylthena: Coming Friday!

Yes! You read that correctly! The sixth Monkey Queen book, The Crown Of Kylthena, will be published this Friday, October 14! Many, many thanks to Keri Knutson, and to Jason and Marina Anderson with Polgarus Studios, for getting things fixed in a hurry and allowing me to bump up the publication date! (And thanks to Willow, who is awesome!) Here's the corrected cover, and if you missed the preview of the first two chapters, click here! See you on Friday, when the buying links are ready!

The Crown Of Kylthena: Publication Delay Alert

Due to an unfortunate complication, I've had to push back the publication date for The Crown Of Kylthena until next Tuesday, October 18. The reason why? Short answer: I screwed up. Long answer? After the cut!

from the end of the world to your blog

The Sunday catchup returns, with this announcement: The sixth Monkey Queen book, The Crown Of Kylthena, will be published this coming Tuesday, October 11!

"Whatever it takes to rescue Beth, I'll do it."

The Crown of Kylthena is a legendary relic from the Lost Lands of Earth. The stories say it brings great power to its wearer. Michiko Koyama, the hero known as the Monkey Queen, is sent to retrieve the crown along with her girlfriend and partner in adventure Beth McGill, only to find that it's been stolen. They'll have to hop from world to world and team up with the enigmatic wizard Alasdair Sterling to get it back...but can he be trusted?

And even if they find the crown, the secrets it holds could tear Beth away from Michiko...or lead to their doom.

Come back Tuesday for buying links, and click here in case you missed Friday's preview of the first two chapters of Michiko and Beth's newest adventure! More after the cut!

The Crown Of Kylthena: Sneak Preview!

It's been a long wait, but the sixth Monkey Queen book, The Crown Of Kylthena, is just days away from being published! To get you ready, here's a sneak preview - Chapters One and Two of Michiko and Beth's latest adventure! I hope you enjoy! Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments.

(Warning: As with all the Monkey Queen books, this preview contains spoilers for the previous books and for the series as a whole. If you haven't read the earlier books, proceed at your own risk...)

(Or head to the website's "Where To Buy" page to find out where to get the earlier books and catch up first! When you're ready, the preview is after the cut!)

Willow Wednesdays: The Crown Of Kylthena!

Welcome to Willow Wednesdays! Featuring art by Willow, the cover artist for the Monkey Queen series, with her kind permission! Read on after the cut for more!

Willow Wednesdays Extra: Sunday Catchup

The Sunday catchup post you would normally see at this time has been cancelled. Normal service will resume next Sunday. In case you're wondering why...

I have a book to finish and publish.

(Art © 2016 by Willow; used with permission.)

gonna set this blog alight

Kicking Sunday off with this reminder: If you didn't catch it earlier, a new short story, "Adoption Day", was posted this week! Scroll up or click here to read it. If you liked it, feel free to drop me a line or leave a comment, and you're encouraged to share the link to this story everywhere you can find! More after the cut.

Your Crown Of Kylthena update

It's good news...and bad.

The good is that the final draft is almost done. I need to expand one or two scenes, and then nitpick the draft from first page to last, but when that's finished the book will almost be good to go.

The bad is that Willow's tendinitis is taking longer than expected to heal, and work on her thesis is taking up a lot of her time anyway. At this point, I'm going to have to assume she won't be able to complete the cover until September, which means that the book won't be out until this fall.

I hope you'll forgive me for this delay. Sometimes, life does get in the way. All I can do is make The Crown Of Kylthena the best book I can, take the extra time to improve it and make it worth the wait...and I will.

Thanks for your patience, your understanding and your support.

the spotlight's hitting something that's been known to blog the weather

Happy Sunday! Hope all of you are keeping cool where it's hot, warn where it's cold and dry where it's rainy. It's been hot here, and my apartment is quite muggy; I'm tempted to call it "Dagobah," as it feels like I'm walking in a swamp every time I head to the kitchen... More after the cut.

they blogged you on the treadmill

Sunday starts with a reminder: You have just three days left to get your copy of the first Monkey Queen ebook, Of Introductions And Abductions, for just 99 cents US/CA/AU, £0.99 UK and €0,99! The price will be reset to $2.99 US on June 1, so don't wait! (And remember that ebooks are easily giftable!) More after the cut!

We have first draft sign!

The first draft of the sixth Monkey Queen book, The Crown Of Kylthena, is finally done!

Don't get too excited yet. There's still at least one round of editing and revising to come, and we need to wait for Willow to recover from her wrist tendinitis before she can finish the cover. It'll still be a while before The Crown Of Kylthena is published.

But if you want to get a bit excited, be my guest. I am!

Especially since I'm getting some great ideas going for the seventh book...

Willow Wednesdays: Meet Alasdair Sterling! (post #400)

Welcome to Willow Wednesdays! Featuring art by Willow, the cover artist for the Monkey Queen series, with her kind permission! Read on after the cut for a special, do not miss installment!

I have seen the blogger, he has been here too

Sunday means catchup, and here's some happy news: Although I can't set a publication date yet for the sixth Monkey Queen book, The Crown Of Kylthena, I can confirm that Willow will be back to do the cover! (We're getting it done early to avoid some scheduling conflicts she'll have later this year.) I've already seen her first sketches, and I promise that this cover will knock your socks off! (We recommend putting on socks when it's time to reveal the cover.) More after the cut.

for I've never blogged in a cage

We'll start this Sunday catchup with something you may have missed, since it was posted originally on New Year's Day: The first information on the sixth Monkey Queen book, The Crown Of Kylthena!

The Crown of Kylthena is a relic from the Lost Lands that is supposed to bring great power to its wearer. Michiko Koyama, the hero known as the Monkey Queen, is sent along with her girlfriend and partner in adventure Beth McGill and their new companion Abby Main-Drake to retrieve the crown, only to find that it's been stolen. They'll have to hop from world to world and team up with the enigmatic wizard and thief Alasdair Sterling to get it back...but can he be trusted?

And even if Michiko succeeds, betrayal is in the cards back on Earth, as a new hero is brought in to take the Monkey Queen's place. The stakes are higher than Michiko knows, and if she loses the struggle...she'll lose everything.

Even Beth.

More after the cut!

New Year's Announcement

I've mentioned that the next three Monkey Queen books will form a trilogy. It's still in the works, but I'm going to do my best to release all three of the books in 2016. Here's your first taste of what lies ahead:

The Crown of Kylthena is a relic from the Lost Lands that is supposed to bring great power to its wearer. Michiko Koyama, the hero known as the Monkey Queen, is sent along with her girlfriend and partner in adventure Beth McGill and their new companion Abby Main-Drake to retrieve the crown, only to find that it's been stolen. They'll have to hop from world to world and team up with the enigmatic wizard and thief Alasdair Sterling to get it back...but can he be trusted?

And even if Michiko succeeds, betrayal is in the cards back on Earth, as a new hero is brought in to take the Monkey Queen's place. The stakes are higher than Michiko knows, and if she loses the struggle...she'll lose everything. Even Beth.

Monkey Queen Book Six. The Crown Of Kylthena. Coming in 2016.